Heading for the great outdoors? Don't forget the Yurt

Heading for the great outdoors? Don't forget the Yurt: "Youngsters who trek off into the back of beyond tend not to concern themselves too much with comfort. As you get older though, and perhaps have kids in tow, you may find that your camping needs undergo some modification."

Mosquito inspires near-painless hypodermic needle

Mosquito inspires near-painless hypodermic needle: "Mosquitoes are perhaps useful for something after all, besides feeding frogs. Along with his colleagues at Osaka's Kansai University, mechanical engineer Seiji Aoyagi has created an almost pain-free hypodermic needle that is based on a mosquito's proboscis. Perhaps surprisingly, the needle's patient-friendliness comes from the fact that its outer surface is jagged, not smooth."

Nikon adds to entry-level line of D-SLRs with new D5100

Nikon adds to entry-level line of D-SLRs with new D5100: "Nikon has announced the latest addition to its entry-level D-SLR lineup in the form of the new D5100. The D5100 boasts the same 23.3 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor, 16.2-megpixel resolution and ISO range of 100–6400 (expandable to 25,600) as Nikon's D7000, plus a new Night Vision mode that can shoot up to a staggering 102,400 ISO."

Experimental direct solar steam generation power plant opens in Spain

Experimental direct solar steam generation power plant opens in Spain: "When most of us think of sunlight being used to generate power, we likely picture photovoltaic cells. Concentrated solar power plants however, use lenses or mirrors to heat fluid – such as synthetic oil – which in turn is used to generate high-pressure steam to drive a conventional turbine."

Ready for your close-up? It's a microscope for the iPhone

Ready for your close-up? It's a microscope for the iPhone: "It's all very well and good that iPhones can give you directions, let you surf the web, and do about a thousand other things, but what if you want to get a close look at something really tiny?"